Archaeology of the Kickapoo Valley

The portion of the Upper Kickapoo River Valley located between Wildcat Mountain State Park and La Farge, Wisconsin, is rich with more than 450 prehistoric archeological sites. These sites represent the day-to-day life and expressions of people dating back as far as 12,000 years ago when mastodons roamed this valley.

Enjoy your visit to the Upper Kickapoo River Valley, and know that your footsteps cross the same ground that Native American people crossed for many thousands of years.

The Upper Kickapoo Valley Archaeology District

The Upper Kickapoo Valley Prehistoric Archeological District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is located between Wildcat Mountain State Park and the village of La Farge in portions of Stark and Whitestown Townships. The District covers 8, 569 acres along a 10-mile stretch of the Kickapoo River and several of its tributary creeks: Weister, Indian, Jug, Warner, and Billings.

The District is located in the "Driftless Area" of southwestern Wisconsin. Evidence suggests that during the last ice age, which ended approximately 10,000 years ago, this area was neither scoured by glacial ice nor blanketed by thick glacial deposits known as glacial drift. As a result of the area’s long exposure, wind and water erosion have cut deeply into the land surface, creating an intricate system of steep-sided stream valleys with numerous sandstone and limestone outcrops that form the cliffs, overhangs, and caves of the Upper Kickapoo River Valley.